Web winding apparatus



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2 SheetsSheet l J. J. WETZLER WEB WINDING APPARATUS 1 n L I.

April 18, 1967 Filed Deo. 18, 1964 Om wm & Kulfe..

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April 18, 1967 J. J. WETzLER WEB WINDING-APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1964 Inventor* Justin. J. we'tler United States Patent fitice 3,314,627 WEEE WINDENG APPARATUS llustiu ll. Wetzlar, 703 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Ill. 602m Filed Dee. i3, 1964, Ser. No. 19,4% l Claims. (Cl. 2MP-all) The present invention relates to a winding apparatus and more particularly it relates to an improved web rolling apparatus adapted for continuous feed of successive web lengths without interruption of the winding operation.

Many complex rolling or winding machines have been developed for rolling webs of predetermined lengths. One of the uses for such machines may be for winding what is commonly known as continuous toweling. In such use the toweling is passed through a laundering means, cleaned, dried and otherwise conditioned, and then rerolled and packaged for subsequent use.

There are several diiliculties associated with less complex rolling means including the lack of ability of such apparatus to roll successive web lengths without interruption and adjustment of the apparatus to accommodate the changing web roll diameter during use.

The present invention is directed to the provision of a web winding or rolling apparatus where successive web lengths may be introduced to the apparatus prior to completion of rolling of the preceding length. Further, the apparatus automatically compensates along its length to the changing diameter of the wound portion during the winding operation while the web moves along the apparatus, with means to permit adjacent elements of the segmented plate to assume appropriate operating positions.

In accordance with the present invention a web rolling apparatus is provided having a moving conveyor as one rolling surface and a segmented plate as the opposing rolling surface. A web end is placed on the moving conveyor and is carried along to a position under the introductory element of the segmented plate where said web end is folded over upon itself and winding is initiated and continued as the web moves along the apparatus between the conveyor or continuous belt and the segmented plate. The initial or introductory plate element returns to its rest position when the roll of increasing diameter passes from the first to successive plate elements. ln this manner a succeeding web may be introduced to the rolling apparatus prior to completion of winding of the preceding web.

lt is, accordingly, a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved Winding apparatus.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved winding apparatus for rolling successive lengths of webbing without interruption in the Winding operation between said lengths.

An additional object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved winding apparatus having a continuous moving belt as one winding surface and a segmented plate as the other winding surface.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a winding apparatus having a continuous moving belt as one winding surface and a segmented plate as the other winding surface and wherein the segmented plate includes elements which are independently vertically movable.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a winding apparatus for rolling a web of material wherein one of the rolling surfaces is a continuous moving belt and the other rolling surface is a stationary element.

A further object of the provision of an improved present invention resides in the winding apparatus for rolling l/l? Patented ftpr. 18, i967 successive lengths of webbing wherein said webbing is4 rolled between a movable and a stationary surface and is carried along the apparatus by the movable surface at a rate of movement less than the `rate of movement of the movable surface itself.

An additional object of the present invention resides in the provision of a winding apparatus for rolling successive lengths of webbing without winding interruption between said lengths that is economical. to manufacture and use, that is easy to maintain, that is easy to use, that is durable in use, the operation of which may easily be understood by the operator, and that may accommodate a variety of materials in the winding operation varying, for example, in width, thickness or length.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto. The invention, itself, however, together with further objects and advantages will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevation of the winding apparatus of the present invention showing the overall configuration of one form of the device;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view, partly in section, illustrating the continuous moving belt and two elements of the segmented plate of the rolling apparatus and the cooperative action thereof in rolling of a section of material;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged View, partly in section, showing again the continuous moving belt and segmented plate of the winding apparatus and illustrating the segmented plate action in movement of the rolled section of the webbing from the introductory element of the segmented plate to the next succeeding element thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FGURE 3 but illustrating movement of the rolled length of webbing to the next element of the segmented plate;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view, partly in section, of the apparatus of FIGURE 4 illustrating movements of the rolled length of webbing to the last element ofthe segmented plate of the apparatus; and

FlGURE 6 is a fragmentary enlarged view, partly in section, of the support means for the segmented plate of the winding apparatus.

Referring more particularly now to the drawings and specifically to FIGURE l thereof, the winding apparatus of the present invention is indicated generally at lll. The Winding apparatus 10 includes a support bed 12 which defines support means for the winding apparatus and disclosed hereinbelow.

A pair of rollers 14 and 16 are mounted for rotation on trunnions 15 and 17, respectively. The trunnions 15 and 17, in turn, are mounted on the support bed 12 on either end of the roller 14- and 16. A tensioning member 2@ is operatively associated with the trunnions 15 to move said trunnions longitudinally of the table 13 of support means 12.

A second pair of rollers 22 and 24 are rotatively mounted on the table 13 of support means l2 in end-toend relation with the rollers 14 and 16.

A continuous belt 26 is supported on the pair of rollers 14 and 15 for movement thereabout and in response to the driving movement of the roller 16. A support roller 28 is mounted on the support means 12 in the path of movement of the belt 26. It should be observed that the belt 26 may sag slightly on the lower portion thereof between the rollers 14 and 16. In order to prevent damage to the belt it is supported by the roller 23 for smooth, controlled return movement.

A drive motor 30 is mounted by the support member 32 to the support section 11 of the body 12. The drive means 30 is drivingly connected to the pulley 34. A drive belt 36 operatively connects the drive pulley 34 with the driven roller f6 so that when the drive means is operated under direction of the motor 3i) the continuous belt 26 will be moved in accordance with rotation of the roller lo.

A drive belt 40 interconnects the roller i6 with the roller 2.2. Thus, when the roller 16 is moved by the drive means it will move the roller 22 and thereby will cause movement of the continuous belt 42 which is mounted between the rollers 22 and 24 of the winding apparatus.

A collection chute is mounted to the frame l2 in position below the roller 24 and extends, in part, beyond the end of the belt 42.

The plurality of pairs of support pedestals 44, 46, 4S, 50 and 52 are affixed to the table 13 of support means l2 at spaced intervals therealong. The segmented plate, indicated generally at 54, is supported by and upon the said pairs of pedestals. In the embodiment of the Winding apparatus set forth in FIGURE l of the drawings the segmented plate 54 is comprised of plate elements 56, 53 and 60, respectively. Each of the plate elements 56, S and 60 is provided with a friction surface F.

The plate element 56 of the segmented plate 54 includes a planar section 56 and an inclined section 56 integrally joined in end-to-end relation. The free end of the inclined section 56 is supported on the pedestal 44 by pins 62 extending from either side thereof. The free end of the section 56 is supported on the pedestals 4S by pins 64 extending from either side thereof. It is readily seen that the plate segment 56 thus is freely vertically movable upwardly away from the support pedestals 44 and 4S.

The plate segment 5S is supported at one end -by the pins 64 and at the other end thereof by the pin 66. It is thus seen that the pins 64 ymutually join adjacent ends of the plate segments 56 and 58 for relative pivotal movement. The plate segment et) is supported at one end by the pins 66 on pedestal 5t) and at the other end by the pins 68 which rest on the pedestals 52.

A toggle linkage is provided at the pivotal intersection e4 of the plate segments 56 and 58 :to permit the plate element S5 to return to the rest position as soon as possible after passage of the partially wound web. This toggle linkage is important in providing the continuing feed feature of the apparatus whereby successive web lengths may be wound without interruption of the winding operation. The toggle linkage is defined by a pair of link arms '76. The link arms 79 each are pivotally mounted at one end to the pins 64 and at the other end to pins 72. The pins '72 are supported within the pedestals in of the apparatus. The toggle linkage 70 provides means for high lift of the segmented plate elements while at the same time causing the free end of the element 56 to be rotated so that the section S6 will be maintained in close relation to ythe moving belt 26 and ready for introduction of a successive web end.

As seen more clearly in FIGURES 2 and 6, the continuous belt 26 is supported for movement across the table 13 of the support means 12 by a rigid support plate 75. The support plate 75 extends along under the upper belt path of the belt along the table i3 between the rollers i4 and 16 to define a solid horizontal support for the belt 26 during the web rolling or winding operation.

As seen in FGURE 6 of the drawings the segmented plate sections are supported on the pedestals by rollers R which rollers, in turn, are rotatably mounted on the pins 62, 64, 66 and d3, respectively. This means of support of the terminal portions of the plate elements permits unrestricted support of said elements.

The winding operation of the apparatus of the present invention will be described in connection with the illustrations of FEGURES 2 through 5 of the drawings. As

seen in FGURE 2 the webbing W is introduced to the winding apparatus l@ by laying the free end thereof on the moving continuous belt 26. The upper strand of the belt 26 is moving from left to right in FIGURE 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow. The web end is carried along by the moving belt 26 into the area between said belt and lthe inclined section 56" of the plate element 56. The inclined section 5a tapers from a position of greatest spaced relation to the belt 26 at the free terminal of said section Se toward said belt to a point where spaced relation between said section and the belt is insufficient to permit said web end to pass. When the web end enters the restricted area between the belt 26 and the section Se of the plate element 56 it strikes the face F of section 56, and it is slowed to a rate of movement less than the rate of movement of the belt 26. However, the web segment immediately behind the web end continues to move along on the belt 26 at the same rate of movement of said belt. The web end is folded over upon itself and slides along the friction surface defined by the bottom face F of the plate element 56. Thus, the winding action is initiated by trapping of the web end and continues due to the continuous feed of the web W along the belt 26 and the frictional engagement of another portion of the web by the face F of the segmented plate 54%.

The web W that is being rolled continues to be moved along by the belt 25 and continues to be rolled upon itself by engagement with the friction face F of the segmented plate 54. The web W as it is being rolled continues to move along between the conveyor 26 and the segmented plate 54. It is readily seen that the rate of movement of the rolled portion of the web W between the conveyor 26 and segmented plate 54 is less than the rate of movement of the belt 26 itself. The ditferential in the rate of movement between the rolled portion of the web W and the belt 26 increases as the diameter of the rolled section of the web W increases. The rolled portion of the web W, of course, moves slower than the belt itself since a portion of the web is moving upwardly and about the previously rolled portion of the web in a direction of movement away from the direction of movement of the belt 2e. The greater the rolled diameter about which the material of the web W must move, the greater will be the differential between the rates of movement of the web and the belt. Thus, a continuously varying rate of movement of the rolled section of the web W along the conveyor 26 is a characteristic of the winding operation with the apparatus of the present invention.

As the rolled section of the web moves along the winding apparatus the diameter thereof increases and the segmented plate elements must rise to accommodate the changing diameter. The section 55, of course, is the first to rise and it carries along with it the adjacent end portion of the plate element 53 so that as the rolled section of the web W moves along a smooth transition will occur from the elevated plate element 56 to the now elevated plate element S8 of the winding apparatus. lt should be observed that if a successive web end is fed along the conveyor at this point it will not be rolled in the manner dened for the section being rolled since the plate element 56 is now elevated and the space between the element 56 and the belt 26 is greater than the thickness of the web end and therefore it will not trap the web end folded over. In any event, however, this would be an inadvertent act on the part of the operator since the succeeding web end would not be fed into the winding apparatus until the preceding terminal end of the web being rolled has passed the feeding section of the conveyor 26.

As the rolled section of the web continues to increase in diameter and more webbing is wound thereupon the section moves along the winding apparatus and eventually passes between the plate element 60 and the web 26. The plate element 6), of course, was elevated previously in accordance with the elevation of the plate element 58 to provide a smooth transition for the rolled web section from element 58 to element 60. When the rolled web section W moves into the area of the plate element 60 the introductory plate element 56 drops down so that the pins 64 and rollers R mounted thereon engage the support pedestal 48 along either side of the plate eleent. Thus, the plate element 56 returns to its rest p0- sition ready for introduction of a succeeding web end prior to completion of rolling of the preceding web section Continues until the full web length has been rolled upon itself at which time the conveyor belt 26 will carry the web W fully underneath the segmented plate 54 and out beyond the terminal thereof for discharge upon the discharge conveyor belt 42. The belt 42 carries the rolled web W into the discharge chute 80 of the winding apparatus for collection.

Prior to introduction of the terminal section of the web being rolled into the area delined between the segmented plate S4 and the belt 26, the operator lays the web end of the succeeding web length W' upon the moving section of the web W. When the end of the web W passes beneath the beginning edge of the second web to be rolled the operator releases said second end and permits it to be drawn into the winding apparatus by the conveyor belt 26. The unrolled section of the web W being rolled is continuously drawn into the winding apparatus and rolled about the enlarged roll diameter which is now near the end of the segmented plate 54. The web end of the second web section moves along the conveyor 26 in spaced relation to the terminus of the web section W being wound. The end of the second web section moves into the area between the section 56 and the conveyor belt 26. The end is trapped by said section 56", is folded over and the rolling action of the second web is initiated even prior to completion of rolling of the preceding web section. It should be observed Ithat the terminus of the preceding web section may be spaced from the web end of the second web section by a very small distance and the operation of the winding apparatus would still be effective to act in the manner dened above.

The length of the segmented plate 54 and the rate of movement of the conveyor belt 26 should be adjusted so that the web of the maximum web length desired to be wound with the apparatus of the present invention will be fully wound just prior to discharge of said wound webbing W from the segmented plate 54 on to the discharge conveyor belt 42.

While a specific embodiment of the present invention is shown and described it should be observed that other modifications and alternative constructions may be used without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and alternative constructions as fall within their true spirit and scope.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An improved winding apparatus for rolling succesve lengths of webbing without winding interruption between lengths, said apparatus comprising:

support means;

a continuous belt mounted for movement on said support means; drive means mounted on said support and operatively connected to said belt to elect movement thereof;

and a segmented plate mounted above the belt for cooperative action therewith, said plate having a plurality of independently vertically moveable elements, which includes an introductory element, a succeeding element and movable linkage means between said elements to permit vertical movement and pivotal movement between the linked ends of said elements, a tapered opening defined between said introductory element and the belt to receive a leading end of a web and to initiate a rolling action, and said introductory element being vertically movable as said roll grows in size as a result of the roll moving along the belt in the direction of belt movement at a rate of movement less than the rate of belt movement, whereby said introductory element resumes its original position after the growing roll is moved to a position between the succeeding element and the belt, whereupon the introductory element is adapted to lreceive a successive web end prior to completion of rolling of the preceding web length.

2. A winding apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said segmented plate is longitudinally stationary, and said plurality of elements include a terminating element, terminating movable linkage means between said terminating element and the next preceding element, said terminating linkage permitting vertical and pivotal movement between the linked elements so that the growing roll may move between the terminating element and the belt while the next preceding element resumes a position which is adapted to receive a successive roll of a size intermediate the initial roll size and the nal roll size.

3. A winding apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the introductory element has a rst inclined section and a second substantially horizontal section so lthat in the original position of said introductory element the inclined section detines said opening with said belt and the web initiates its rolling action substantially between the horizontal portion and the belt, and a support for the leading end of said inclined section to provide a support point when the introductory element is moved vertically.

4. A winding apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said linkage means includes a pivot, and a support on which said pivot may rest and from which said pivot may freely depart in vertical movement.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 672,215 4/1901 Lewis 242-55.1 1,812,655 6/1931 Ladd 19-l44.5 X 2,939,645 6/1960 Rowlands et al. 242-56 3,065,505 11/1962 Pratt et al. 19-144.5

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner. G. F. MAUTZ, Examiner, 

1. AN IMPROVED WINDING APPARATUS FOR ROLLING SUCCESSIVE LENGTHS OF WEBBING WITHOUT WINDING INTERRUPTION BETWEEN LENGTHS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: SUPPORT MEANS; A CONTINUOUS BELT MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS; DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID BELT TO EFFECT MOVEMENT THEREOF; AND A SEGMENTED PLATE MOUNTED ABOVE THE BELT FOR COOPERATIVE ACTION THEREWITH, SAID PLATE HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDEPENDENTLY VERTICALLY MOVEABLE ELEMENTS, WHICH INCLUDES AN INTRODUCTORY ELEMENT, A SUCCEEDING ELEMENT AND MOVABLE LINKAGE MEANS BETWEEN SAID ELEMENTS TO PERMIT VERTICAL MOVEMENT AND PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE LINKED ENDS OF SAID ELEMENTS A TAPERED OPENING DEFINED BETWEEN SAID INTRODUCTORY ELEMENT AND THE BELT TO RECEIVE A LEADING END OF A WEB AND TO INITIATE A ROLLING ACTION, AND SAID INTRODUCTORY ELEMENT BEING VERTICALLY MOVABLE AS SAID ROLL GROWS IN SIZE AS A RESULT OF THE ROLL MOVING ALONG THE BELT IN THE DIRECTION OF BELT MOVEMENT AT A RATE OF MOVEMENT LESS THAN THE RATE OF BELT MOVEMENT, WHEREBY SAID INTRODUCTORY ELEMENT RESUMES ITS ORIGINAL POSITION AFTER THE GROWING ROLL IS MOVED TO A POSITION BETWEEN THE SUCCEEDING ELEMENT AND THE BELT, WHEREUPON THE INTRODUCTORY ELEMENT IS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A SUCCESSIVE WEB END PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF ROLLING OF THE PRECEDING WEB LENGTH. 